Natural Sleep Aids That Your Own Body Produces

Studies have been long concentrating on natural sleep aids that can be found in plants, herbs, and traditional medicines. For some reason, people have always thought that sleep can be brought about by whatever food they take it. But the truth is, sleep is a natural tendency among human beings. It is regulated by the body itself, not by substances eaten or drunk. Read on to find out more about how your body regulates sleep.

At the center of our brains is the pineal gland. This particular gland creates melatonin, which is a hormone. This hormone is responsible for the body’s sleep-wake patterns, or its circadian rhythms. The amount of melatonin in the blood stream is highest when it’s time for one to go to bed. This is entirely individualized. This is why some people like to work during the day and sleep soundly at night, and others sleep in the daytime and are active at night.

How does melatonin work? It has been studied to bring about sleep faster by increasing feelings of drowsiness at the time the body is set to sleep. It also increases the duration and improves the quality of sleep. Aside from enhancing sleep, melatonin has also been found to decrease the chances of jet lag during long aerial travels.

Scientists have developed numerous natural sleep aids such as melatonin to help people sleep better. However, risk is always to be taken into consideration when using melatonin, because it is untested and unregulated, just like other natural dietary supplements. If one is to take melatonin, it is always best to consult one’s GP, or get updates on research involving the said hormone.